Anna McDonald

Lives In: London

About Me : I’m a Mum to two boys - my baby just turned 1 last week (sob) and my eldest is 3. I was working as the Senior Bag Buyer at Topshop when I had my first child, and as much as I loved it, I found it difficult to combine Motherhood and the amount of International travel. I had been friends with Lydia (my now business partner) for years, since our first job in fashion - we were junior buyer and designer - once we both had children we were both looking for easier ways to combine our new lifestyles and our skill set. Luckily the idea of Tiba+Marl got dreamt up very easily and organically - it seems the perfect merge of our joint experience as Mothers, Fashion Buyer and Designer. We were both unequivocally determined to change the bad rep of Diaper bags, and give this essential item a modern and fashion-focused new direction.

Hire Me For/I'm Good At :PR, marketing - albeit in a naive way - I just love thinking up great angles to drive the brand forward and be more in the public awareness. I love networking - not in a ruthless way but I love meeting similarly minded women and bringing our skills together in a mutually beneficial and FUN way (hook us up if you think we can work together!). I think I have a pretty amazing address book (do they still exist?!) crammed full of some amazing contacts - in London, Europe and Internationally. I also am obsessed with fashion, trends, newness, individuality - which hopefully is apparent throughout our collection

Interested In :We would love an International print or design collaboration with a contemporary, like-minded brand. We are always open minded to speak to other creative business woman, and hustle up some new ideas.

Mama Likes :Work and family life seem to have taken over any other hobbies! I love just being able to wonder around cool parts of London, either over East, or enjoying a bit of the gloss in Marylebone. Any kind of meal out without babies is bliss - mexican food and a margarita would rock my world.

Mama Inspiration:My first reaction is to think of celebs - but my most inspirational Mums are those I know! Lydia (my business partner), Caroline and Claire - lovely ex colleagues, who despite being new Mums help us with TIBA+MARL out of the kindness of their hearts. My MUM! Jenny from @mothersmeetings. My best friend Sam, my next door neightbour who’s just beaten breast cancer - real Mums who work their arses off and are great role models to their babbas.

Brands that most reflect your style or that you’d want to work with: MINI RODINI, ALEXANDER WANG, ACNE, NIKE, HOUSE OF HACKNEY, STELLA MCCARTNEY,

Words you live by/quotes you love:Every day before bed I like to think about the nicest moments from the day and the sweetest thing the boys have done - and try to remember to be grateful for what I have - I think that helps - as we are always comparing ourselves and wanting more, more, more - but invariably we are pretty lucky with that we have. I prefer to do this, than reference quotes and other peoples philosophies, it works for me.

Best advice you’ve ever been given:I was really lucky - that when we started TIBA+MARL, my best friend had recently started her own company and she gave us a lot of contacts and details and pragmatic advice - i.e, a recommended business bank manager, a great accountant etc - so I’d recommend tapping any friends who have also launched their own empire for their top tips.

Best advice you’d give to someone starting out:Always say yes to things (within reason!!!) - who knows what it will lead to. Join a kick ass Mums networking group (we joined @mothersmeetings and it changed our lives!!). Save some money first if you can ;) as inevitably if you start a new business you will be investing and reinvesting, and you will have to adapt your life financially.

What are three things people would be surprised to know about you?God - I have no idea!!! I think I surprised myself recently by lecturing at London College of Fashion - where I did my BA many moons ago - can’t believe I’m now standing up at the front of a lecture theatre - how did that happen? Am I that old? Waaaaahhh!!